Means for locking marker-arms of seed-planters.



e. 0. HOPPEQ- MEANS FOR LOCKING MARKER ARMS 0F SEED BLANTERS.

' APPLICATION FILED mum, 1917.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

man srn'rns PATENT onnrcn.

GEORGE O. HOPPE, OF CHARLOTTE, ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR LOOKING MARKER-ARMS 0F SEED-PLANTERS.

Application filed May 10, 191?.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. Horrn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the village of Charlotte, county of Livingston, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Looking Marker-Arms of Seed- Planters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in locking means for marker arms of seed planters, and has for its object the production of locking means of the character mentioned which will be of durable and economical construction, which will be automatic in operation and which will permit of ready unlocking actuation by the operator of the machine.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1, is a rear elevation of a seed planter having marker arm locking means, embodying the invention,

Fig. 2, a fragmental top plan view of the rear end portion of the machine,

Fig. 3, a fragmental section taken on substantially line 33 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4, an enlarged detail view through one of the marker arm locking devices embodying the invention.

The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the drawings, is applied to a seed planter comprising a frame 5 which is mounted upon wheels 6, the operators seat 7 being provided at the rearward end of the machine. The marker arm of the machine which is illustrated at 8 is pivotally connected with the frame 5 at 9, the arrangement being such as to permit of swinging of said arm to project from either side of the machine in order to allow for marking at either side of the machine. The marker arm carries a ground-engaging element or marking device 10, pivotally connected thereto at 11, said marker being automatlcally operable through the medium of a flexible cord 12 which is connected with the seed-dropping mechanism so as to secure intermittent Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Serial No. 167,824.

operation of the member 10 at the proper intervals.

The arm 8 is adapted to be swung from one side of the machine to the other through the medium of a rocker arm 13, fixed to the rearward end of an oscillatory shaft 14. said arm 13 engaging with an elongated slot 15 provided in the arm 8 adjacent the pivot of the latter. The arrangement is such, as will be seen, that swinging of said marker arm will be effected through oscillatory movement of shaft 14. Such movement of said shaft is efiected by, means of a pinion 16 carried at the front end thereof, which meshes with a gear 17 secured to the lower end of an oscillatory lever 18 arranged in operative proximity with the operators seat 7 The arm 8 is automatically locked against upward yielding when in either of its operative positions by means of a latch 19, one of which is provided at each side of the machine mounted in a support 5 carried by the frame 5. Cooperating with each latch 19 is a helical compression spring 20, which normally forces the latch outwardly or rearwardly into the path of the marker arm, as clearly seen in Fig. 4. The upper side of the latch is beveled, so as to permit of uninterrupted downward swinging of the arm past the same, the under side of the latch being however fiat, so as to engage with the arm 6 and thus prevent upward swinging thereof. Retraction of each latch is effected by means of a bell crank lever 21, pivotally mounted at 22, one end of the lever being pivotally connected with the rearward end of the latch, the opposite end of the lever being connected by a rod 23 with an oscillatory lever 24, there being two levers 24, one for cooperation with each latch, and said levers being mounted in operative proximity with the operators seat 7 lVit-h this arrangement it will be seen that when the marker arm is swung to either position, the same will be automatically locked, unlocking thereof being effected by simply operating the corresponding lever 24, as will be readily understood.

lVhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I,

claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a seed planter a frame; a swinging arm pivotally connected with said frame; a ground engaging element carried by said arm, whereby said ground engaging element may be carried to a position for engagement with the ground at either side of the planter; and spring pressed latches on said frame for automatically engaging with said arm when swung to either of its said positions to releasably lock the same in operative position, substantially as described.

'2. In a seed planter a frame; a swinging arm pivotally connected with said frame; a

ground engaging element carried by said arm, whereby said ground engaging element may be carried to a position for, engagement with the ground at either side of the planter; and spring pressed latches on said frame for automatically engaging with said arm when swung to either of its said positions to releasably lock the same in operative position, the upper sides of said latches being beveled to allow for uninterrupted downward movement of said arm past said latches, substantially as described.

3. In a seed planter aframe; a swinging arm pivotally connected with said frame; a ground engaging element carried by said arm, whereby said ground engaging element may be carried to a position for engagement with the ground at either side of the planter; spring pressed latches on said frame for automatically engaging with said arm when swung to either of its said ositions to releasably lock the same in operative position; and manually operable means for retracting, said latches to release said arm, sub-o stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE O. HOPPE.

Witnesses F. H. HERB, STEPHEN H. HERB.

@opiee of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, E. Q. 7 

